One Final Flight for Space Shuttle Discovery

The retired shuttle flies over Washington, D.C., on its way to the Smithsonian.

After 39 trips to space over more than a quarter century, space shuttle Discovery took one last victory lap on its way into retirement today. Discovery flew out of Cape Canaveral, Fla., on the back of a 747 and made a low-altitude tour of the nation's capital before touching down at Washington Dulles International Airport. Justin Staley at Dulles took these pictures for us.

The shuttle's new home is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's annex in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. Discovery will be installed there on Thursday.

On Monday, another of the shuttles will be arriving a little closer to PopMech's home in New York. The shuttle Enterprise will be flying over New York City before landing at JFK airport and eventually taking up residence at the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum. We'll be there on Monday, so look out for more pictures.

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